


The Amalgamated Slice of Pervert/Romanumeternal Crossover

by Fmannerly, Romanumeternal



Series: Slice of Pervert [5]
Category: Original Work
Genre: Alternate Universe - Ancient Rome, Alternate Universe - Slavery, Crossover, Everyone Has Issues, Multi, Non-Sexual Slavery, POV Multiple, Sexual Slavery, Slice of Life
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-04-28
Updated: 2018-04-28
Packaged: 2019-04-29 04:00:25
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 6,520
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14464542
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fmannerly/pseuds/Fmannerly, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Romanumeternal/pseuds/Romanumeternal
Summary: Originally from LiveJournal, a crossover of our stuff. In large part, a story about the Cooley family's working vacation to Rome, and the culture clash that ensues.Obviously non-canonical and set several years after the ongoing storylines in Slice of Pervert, but still fun.





	1. Part I - Romanumeternal

"You have to admit, that is quite a view" murmured Constance, sipping her wine thoughtfully, looking out over the Eternal City. She speared a fried octopus and munched it happily. Her boyfriend nodded as he chewed the last of his sardine.

"It's great" said Rebecca, shortly, picking at her salad seemingly with little intention of eating any of it. Constance smirked.

"What's the matter with you? Come on, we've seen the greatest city on Earth. And we're eating in the Senatorial Palace itself. Don't tell me that doesn't give you a little shiver?"

Rebecca nodded, and swallowed some leaves. 

"I guess it does. I guess I'm just not feeling, touristy, you know? Plus, I am slightly annoyed I wasn't invited along with Stephen and Anne."

Constance snorted. "Are you? You know why they've been invited along, right? Believe me, we're having a much better time having a meal on the terrace than hobnobbing with various antiquated Senators." Constance flashed Rebecca a smile. "I mean, the marrige between Stephen and you isn't even finalised."

"You really know how to make a girl feel better" muttered Rebecca. 

Constance shrugged. "You're not more or less certain to be the next Governor, or at least high up in the politics of Columbia. Whilst my brother and half sister are."

Rupert frowned. "I still do not see why they're so interested in Anne and Stephen." Constance rolled her eyes at that.

"C'mon, Rupes. Its simple. This isn't a holiday, no matter how much my family dress it up as one. This is a negotiation." She dissected another small octopus as she continued. "Introducing some of the soon-to-be Columbian power players to the People's Republic. So in a couple of years the Romans will know exactly who they're dealing with." She grinned. "Heck, if my brother had any idea, he'd only have to open his mouth and a cute slavegirl would be in his hotel room inside an hour. Of course, he'd be performing for the cameras."

"Our rooms are bugged" sputtered Rupert. Constance sighed.

"Rupert, I love you, but you can be dim. Of course they are. And no, I don't think the Vigilium gives two hoots over what we were doing last night. Although I would keep any future anti-Roman sentiments to yourself, perhaps."

"Why do they want to do that?"

Rebecca flicked a lock of dark hair out of her eyes.

"Because Columbia is allied to Rome. And we're right next to Vanasia, which means Rome gets a huge naval base right next to Vanasia. Plus trading rights, political support...all that's important. And so the last thing Rome wants is some anti-Roman getting anywhere. So they're discreetly checking that Stephen and Anne wouldn't invite the Volkish in the moment they get sworn in."

Rupert glanced at his dark skin. "Well, thanks for that nightmare. I'd be for the chop."

"So would all of you, except possible me" said Constance, airily. "But good summary. We're like the Romans in a lot of ways. Culture for a start."

"Language, I guess" said Rupert.

"The fact that you can whip your adorable little nurse senseless if she ever annoys you" said Constance, as Honesty towered above the table, bearing another platter of sardines and salad. 

"Constance!" hissed Rebecca. "I would never-"

"Who are we whipping?" asked Honesty, sounding slightly concerned.

"You, hypothetically" said Constance, and seeing Rebecca's angry glare, chuckled. "Only hypothetically. Sit down, anyway".

Honesty sat down, glancing suspiciously as Rebecca. "Mistress, have I annoyed you recently?"

"No. Constance was just saying, in the worst way possible, that Rome and Columbia have lots of things in common."

"I guess so, Mistress" said Honesty, helping herself to a sardine, after another anxious glance at Constance as though she was about to produce a bullwhip. S"Huh. Never thought I'd be on the terrace of the Senatorial Palace, looking over Rome."

"Advantages of mixing with high society" said Constance. "Although I think Jimmy might never recover from yesterday's tour." She smiled at Rebecca. "It was tactless to go on about how it was raining spit."

Rebecca snorted. "They said that when its full, it holds so many people that their breath precipitates out and rains down. Not my fauly that freaked him out. I mean-"

"Excuse me, sir, ma'am, do you have a spare seat?"

The four of them looked up at the asker, a small, slight woman in a gray tunic, her head downcast nervously. Constance blinked.

"Well, we have four people, and four seats. So no, not really."

The woman looked at Honesty for a moment, seemed to open her mouth, and then shut it again. She glanced behind her nervously, before bobbing her head. With a sniff, Constance sighed.

"Slave, we don't have a spare seat. Clear off, before I have a word with your owner."

"Apologies, ma'am."

"Clear. Off".

She turned back to her companions. "No idea what that was about. Honestly, some slaves are so idiotic. Probably explains why they are where they are...no offence, Honesty."

"None taken, ma'am." She paused for a moment. "Mind you, some of the freemen I meet are hardly geniuses."

"I-"

"Excuse me?"

Constance looked up, again, to see a tall, blonde woman, wrapped in a bottle green stola fringed with purple, glaring down at her.

"Yes?" she said.

The woman pointed at Honesty. "Is she yours?"

"No." said Constance, frowning. "And who-"

"She's mine" said Rebecca, trying to be more diplomatic. "Can I ask why?"

The woman tossed her hair back, angrily, and placed her hands on her hips.

"Because she did not give up her seat." She looked at Rupert. "You might be provincials from some backwards part of the Republic - your Latin is certainly accented enough - but even so, I hope you won't allow this insolence to go unpunished."

Constance, for once lost for words, simply gaped, whilst Rebecca took a deep breath.

"No, we're not Romans, we're Columbics. But if you think I'll be laying a finger on Honesty-"

"Foreigners! No wonder. Here in the civilized world, slaves give up their seats if citizens need them."

"I see no harm in her sitting with us" said Rupert, glancing uneasily at his glowering girlfriend, a raging Rebecca, and a wrathful Roman. Sensing a scene about to unfold, Honesty quickly stood up, looming over the blonde.

"A thousand pardons, ma'am - my Mistress was unaware. Please accept her and my apologies-"

"Honesty, sit back down" snapped Rebecca. The darker skinned girl looked uncertainly at Rebecca, and then the blonde, who was watching with one eyebrow raised. "That's an order".

"At least one of you is aware of her servile station" snapped the woman.

"Julia, I asked to see if you could borrow a chair, not start an argument" said a man. He looked at Julia irritably. "We'll pounce on a table in two minutes, Olia's stalking them."

Julia looked at him.

"Quintus, where are your crutches?"

The thin man, perhaps a few years older than Julia, ran a hand through shortly cut, thin blonde hair, and sniffed.

"I do not need them to walk ten paces, Julia. Anyway, where are my manners? Quintus Amelius Antonius Callarius." He extended a hand towards Rupert, who stood up and introduced himself.

"Ah, splendid. And these ladies are?"

"We can introduce ourselves, Rupert" said Constance. "I'm Constance Cooley. This is Rebecca Brown, my brother's...partner. And, as you may have gathered, that's Honesty, who so far has nearly sparked a war over a chair." She smiled. "So, what brings you to the Senate?"

"Father's a Senator" said Quintus, offhandedly. "Oh, this is my sister, Julia."

"Charmed" snapped the blonde, still glaring at the four of them.


	2. Part II - Fmannerly

It was an overcast, if still entirely dry day in Rome, and for that, the quartet of Columbian tourists were thankful. It would’ve been hard to imagine their trek through the city, led by their impromptu tour guide Quintus Antonius Amelia Callarius, and his sister Julia, actually being enjoyable if the heat island effect had been going in full force (not that it would’ve been that uncomfortable by their standards.) 

They were still in the Senate district on the Janiculum, and from the parks around the honestly overwrought Senatorial Palace, had a pretty decent view of the seven hills to the east of them. While still being able to avoid looking at the Senatorial Palace, or the hideous Arch of Carcalla in front of it. So, probably the best view in the city actually. 

It had probably been Olia’s idea to take a break, given the way she had gestured to her tired looking master, before he set the group down at a picnic table under a particularly shady pergola. The two of them were sitting on one side with Rebecca (who was enjoying a shoulder rub from her nurse,) and the quartet were chatting amicably. The remainder of the group, sans Marlia (who had been sent on a drink run,) were sitting opposite, and none seemed as pleased with the situation.

“Anyway,” Rebecca said to Quintus, “my father decided that with everything else, that while the NSAID-amethopetrin combo was good enough, that tossing Ketamine in to help me sleep was a bit too much, and that well, the puffy cheeks and hair loss were maybe a bit too traumatic for a teenager with already bad acne, so instead he had the doctor put me on a TNF-inhibitor when they became available. I’ve found it works pretty well.”

“I’ve been happy with Celecoxib and Baclofen myself,” Quintus replied. “Although Olia does find it disconcerting when I vomit blood.”

“It is disturbing dominus,” the darker woman said “and the stains are disgusting and incredibly hard to get out.”

“Olia, do you ever give him shoulder and back massages?” Rebecca asked. “They’ve got to get so stiff after a day out, or a good roll in the hay.”

“I, uh,” Olia stuttered, having been thrown through a loop. It had apparently shut Quintus up from embarrassment as well.

“Well, maybe you two could come to our hotel room some night, and Honesty could give you some pointers,” Rebecca said with a smile, “and then maybe afterward you two could.”

A hand shot out across the table, and covered Rebecca’s mouth as Constance interrupted. “Meet my little sister.” Constance said while giving Rebecca a cold look, “She’s an intelligent girl, and she’s had a couple of bad relationships since she got emancipated, but you seem like a wonderful person, and maybe you could take her out to dinner?”

Olia started to curl up against Quintus, and narrowed her eyes. 

“And before you even start,” Constance said to the Aztlaner, as she removed her hand from Rebecca’s mouth, “she’s a Cooley, she grew up expecting to share, and share she will. Probably at the same time if her maid isn’t bullshitting me.”

The trio of Romans tried and failed to react to that (with Julia doing a pretty good impression of a fish,) at the same time as Rupert put his head in his hands.

“I don’t think father would approve.” Julia finally said, “what with her being a perverted foreigner and a freedwoman.”

“Does that really matter for a date though?” Constance countered, “besides, Anne is still the youngest daughter of one of the most powerful families in the Federation, and the only one getting dragged around Rome like a show pony.”

“It does matter!” Julia replied. “As much as I want my brother to find a suitable partner, I can’t let him become involved with a harlot.”

“That was Grandma Anne, not my little sister Anne.” Constance replied. “My little sister was the family chef, and is working on a degree in public administration.”

At about this point, Marlia returned with a bag full of drinks, and began distributing them.

“Apologies Domina,” the woman said, as she handed Julia a drink. “But they were out of the flavor you wanted, so I got you the apple flavored one instead.”

“You stupid, useless girl,” Julia exploded, having found something she could handle, “you should have called me to ask if I wanted anything.”

“I ah,” Marlia tried to reply. 

“You forgot it again didn’t you?” Julia asked, as she towered over the girl.

Marlia nodded sheepishly.

“You useless idiot!” Julia continued, with frustrated hand gestures and animate blonde locks. “I should sell you if you can’t be bothered to remember carry your mobile on you, in the exact situation I got you a mobile for.”

“I’ll buy her,” Constance interjected. “I mean I was going to have to swing by the markets to get a Roman looking girl, but she’d certainly do.”

“Is this because I bought Janice and Kat?” Rupert said without removing his head from his hands. “Because that was four years ago.”

“No, it’s for a project.” Constance replied. “And if she isn’t suitable for that, she seems kinda dim and looks like a kicked puppy. The girls would love her, and I did promise them I’d get them something from Rome.”

“H-how much?” Julia said awkwardly, clearly not prepared for the reaction she had gotten.

“I don’t know.” Constance replied, “I’ll have to take a look before I can give an estimate. May I?”

Marlia shot her domina a pleading look, which Julia failed to acknowledge. “Go ahead.” Julia said.

“Girl, open your mouth, I want to have a good look at you.” Constance said, as she stood up. “Rupert, can you finish handing out the drinks?”

Marlia handed the bag off to Rupert, and meekly complied, closing her eyes in the process. 

In the background, Rebecca made an annoyed sound as she remembered something. “Aww, sonnova. Quintus, do you know where a decent candy shop is?” Rebecca said, “I promised Marie I’d get her kids something from the trip.”

Quintus shrugged as he was handed a bottle.

“We get Dragati and Succida for events from a place that isn’t far from here.” Olia said, “I could show you it.” 

“That sounds lovely actually, Olia, lead the way.” Quintus replied. 

Constance had taken her time thoroughly inspecting the smaller, now panicking woman, before pulling her into a hug. Fortunately for Marlia’s dignity, only herself, her domina and Constance remained.

“Four thousand denarii. I’d offer more, but she needs a lot of dental work before she’ll be able to look right on screen.” Constance said, as she stroked Marlia’s head, now sandwiched awkwardly between Constance’s breasts, in what was probably intended to be a comforting manner. 

“What would you be having her do?” Julia asked, “Just out of curiosity.”

“I’m trying to break into the Volkish language interracial femdom porn market,” Constance replied confidently. “I need a girl who can play a reluctant sadist, and can learn how to use a whip. If not that, I could use a maid.”

Marlia tried to speak, but her panicked voice was indistinct and muffled. 

“You’re actually serious?” Julia said, as outrage shot across her face. “So you would use her to satisfy your own perversions?”

“Well, not mine in particular. It’s actually a bunch of Freisreich perverts’ perversion,” Constance said with venom starting to creep into her voice, as she continued to try and reassure the smaller woman, “but it’s not like you didn’t do so much worse when you starved her and ripped out seven of her teeth. I can’t imagine what could ever possibly justify that level of abuse. Aside from when we’re on set, I’ll make sure that she’ll be loved, fed and well cared for. I’d certainly never dream of treating my property like a well-bred Roman apparently would.”

Julia was at this point seething with rage, and just managed to squeeze out a “Let go of her.”

Constance did, Marlia slipped out of the line of fire, and with that the first punch of the fight hit it’s mark.


	3. Part III - Romanumeternal

Julia looked at the two people either side of her. 

"I told you" she said, miserably, as her last few units were swept away. "Now there's nothing to stop him." 

Rupert shrugged. "It's an interesting game." He frowned, and picked up an Elephant piece. "Four players, four sides." His girlfriend, Constance Cooley, looked at him with a slight smile. 

"Guess what we're not going to be doing for a long, long time if you move that where I think you're going to." 

"Nothing personal" declared Rupert, as his Elephant replaced one of Constance's pieces. Julia grinned at the sight of her female rival brought low, and rested a hand on Rupert's shoulder. 

"That was very clever moving" she said, breathing slightly in Rupert's ear. Constance looked at her narrowly, before smiling a tight smile that would not have looked out of place on a python. 

"Indeed it was. Almost as clever as-" she said, taking a spearman and removing Julia's last unit, a bannerman. "Oh. Look's like your last piece." 

Julia's returned smile was, if anything, even tighter, and contained not an atom of warmth. Affecting nonchalance, she yawned and stretched. Constance Cooley watched her, coolly. 

"It's a shame Stephen isn't here" she remarked. "My brother quite liked you." 

"I liked him" replied Julia, innocently, though her blue eyes sparkled. "I wouldn't mind been a Governor's wife, either." 

"He's with Rebecca" said Constance, somewhat emphatically. "His girlfriend." 

"She's a freedwoman, though, isn't she?" said Julia, coiling a lock of blonde hair around her finger. "And Jewish, not that that really matters. I mean, I don't know how things are done in Colombia, but-" 

"You don't know" said Constance, sharply, in a voice a keen observer might have noted contained some horror at the thought of Julia as a sister in law. "It is perfectly acceptable for my brother to marry a freedwoman there." 

"I find that incredible" said Julia. "And isn't Rebecca slaveborn, as well? I mean, say what you will but as far as I'm concerned once a slave, always one, really. That's why we don't free girls her age in the Republic" 

Constance just nodded at that information, and took another sip of wine. 

"Well, we're not Romans." She winced as Quintus executed another brilliant move, seizing the central hill. 

"Told you he was good" muttered Julia. "But no, we had to fight each other." 

Rupert eyed Quintus. In truth, the two of them had been the major players throughout the match; with Julia and Constance more or less ignored. The game swiftly became a clicking duel between the two of them. 

Perhaps because of this, Julia grew slightly restless and snapped her fingers at a watching Jimmy. 

"Oi. What's your name? Pass me some more of that cheese, please." Julia looked him over as the redhead came closer, all but licking her lips. Constance watched, grinning at the sight. 

"He is cute, isn't he?" 

Julia bit her lip, and, reluctantly it seemed, tore her gaze away, to face Constance - along with the plate of cheese. 

"Okay" she said. "He, err...taken?" 

"As much as your maid is" said Constance, obviously amused at Julia's reaction. "Which is a shame, but your slave, your rules. Although..." she left the words hanging in the air, and for a moment a curious, thoughtful expression came across Julia's face, before she shook her head. 

"No. Marls isn't that sort of girl. Anyway, where's Rebecca?" she added, in a transparent attempt to change the subject. 

"Ill, I think. Sometimes her joints get painful, and she needs to take a lie down" said Constance, sighing melodramatically as, almost as an afterthought, her last piece was idly dispatched by Quintus. She waved over Olia, who without saying a word poured her a measure of wine. She beamed up at the Atlzanian. 

"Thank you, dear" she said. "So, girl, reckon my Rupert stands a chance against your Dominus?" 

"The correct answer, Olly, is 'of course not'. A look of surprise at being asked such a silly question would also be appre-oh, damn it!" 

The group laughed at Quintus' irritated expression, who grinned ruefully after a few moments. 

"Well, that'll teach me to be full of hubris" he drawled, staring intently at the spot of the board where two of his most powerful pieces had been. 

"Distracted by a beautiful slave girl" snorted Rupert. 

"Oh, you think she's pretty?" said Constance, smirking at Rupert's face opened, closed and was then placed in his hands. "Because I'm pretty sure I don't have the money to buy her." 

Olia's face assumed a sudden sharpness. Quintus, seemingly casually, grinned. "I'm absolutely certain you don't, Miss Cooley."


	4. Chapter 4

“Why are we still here?” Steven said for the third time of the night. I’d agreed with him that I didn’t really want to attend a banquet while we were in Rome, especially after spending all day in meetings and briefings with our various political allies here. This was supposed to be my graduation present, and instead it was a business trip where I got shit for being a social climber. Which meant I had been stuck here at this horrible party eating its vile attempts at haute cuisine until midnight because our ride didn’t want to leave yet.

“Because the Governor doesn’t want to go.” I replied. “At least you’re wearing something that makes you look decent.”

“Not a fan of the stola, huh?” Steven replied, as he rolled his shoulders back just a little bit more emphasizing the naval service dress uniform he wore.

“Steven, I look like a pile of laundry got a boob job.” I said as I heard a snort of laughter behind me. “I shouldn’t have listened to the Governor, and just worn a dress I’d packed.”

“Well, if it looks better than that, I’d like to see you in it.” The man behind me said, as I turned to face him.

Unlike the other two I’d had to deal with today he was both easy on the eyes, even if it was hidden under a gaudy Roman army uniform, and wasn’t obviously slimy. He even managed to look away from my breasts, and into my eyes in under a minute.

“So you agree with me?” I said. 

“Certainly.” He replied. “If I’m not interrupting anything, maybe you could wear that other dress when we go out for drinks?”

“You’re not interrupting.” I replied. “That’s my brother.”

“Ensign Steven Petersen, Florida Naval Service.” Steven said, as he waved politely.

“Optio Marius Amelius Antonius Callarius, Legio XCIV Visurgis,” the man said, “and you are.”

“Anne Cooley, adoptive granddaughter of Governor Miranda Cooley, President Emeritus of the Federation of Columbia.” I replied. “Pleased to make your acquaintance.” 

“The pleasure is all mine.” Marius replied. 

“If you’re wondering, I’m not married or anything.” I replied. “Steven just uses our father’s surname so nobody gets confused.” 

Marius’ eyes seemed to gloss over slightly. “That makes sense.” he said, “Anyway what’s naval life like? Is it like the endless hours of boredom and paperwork the rest of us have to deal with?”

“My crew got caught fishing with anti-diver grenades the other day.” Steven replied. “Naturally I had to do the paperwork, since just about everyone else was in the brig.”

“You have your own ship?” I asked, “I hadn’t heard anything about that. I thought you were trying to get something on the Florida.”

“I have a boat. A small boat.” Steven replied. “I’m sure Marius’ command is much more glamorous than mine, especially since his probably doesn’t involve dealing with wayward tourists and alligators.”

“That definitely isn’t a problem I’ve ever had.” Marius replied. “Your food is probably better on patrol though. All we’ve got is a boiling vessel, and rations so terrible garum and hot sauce can’t save them.”

“Marius, do I need to teach you how to cook?” I asked. “Because I bet I could make those rations amazing.”

“Anne, don’t give another person a spice rack.” Steven replied. “He’s probably got enough kit as it is.”

“It’s true.” Marius replied. “I’m usually carrying around a twenty kilo pack and a plate carrier on patrol, and that’s not counting the stuff we leave on a transport.”

“That’s pretty heavy.” I replied. 

“It’s not that bad.” Steven said. “The kids’ diaper bag weighed that much.”

“You have kids?” Marius replied with a curious eyebrow.

“Yeah, I knocked up my maid and she had twins.” Steven replied, “They’re so adorable my girlfriend forgave me.”

“What.” was probably the only response Marius could think of.

“We were together at the time, and Marie was more than a little baby crazy so she cheated on her birth control.” Steven said, “So I spent some time in the doghouse while my girlfriend and her maid fawned over her.” 

“Marie was afraid you were going to put her aside.” I replied. “So she decided she’d have a kid to keep you from selling her.”

“Yeah, I don't think Becky would let me do that.” Steven said as he turned to Marius. “See, my girlfriend decided that it's my duty to father an entire football team. Between the three of them.”

“You must live a charmed life.” Marius replied.

“Listen to him talk about it, and you’d think it was hell.” I replied. 

Steven laughed weakly.

Around then, a slightly overweight blonde woman came by with a serving tray covered in what looked like papas rellenas. “Dominus,” She said, as she looked at Marius, “Have you tried these yet? They’re supposed to be a Columbic delicacy. It’s a mashed potato croquette stuffed with a spicy beef filling.”

Marius seemed only mildly annoyed at the interruption. “No I hadn’t Luka.” He replied. “Although you do have good timing, since I’m speaking to a couple of our Columbic guests right now.”

Seeing Luka spin to face us, and genuflect without anything on the tray ever moving was an impressive site to be sure. Not that Steven noticed, since he just used the opportunity to grab a papa rellena, and take a bite. 

After swallowing, Steven spoke. “Marius, you should try one. They’re actually pretty good. Not as good as Anne or my girl’s, but it’s still better than a lot of shops back home.”

I reached over to grab one, as Luka held one out to her master. “Fine, I’ll try one.” He said, as he accepted the croquette. 

I don’t think I’d ever seen a man look attractive while eating, but Marius managed to do that while taking a bite out of a papa rellena. “It’s good.” He said after swallowing. “Luka, have you had some?”

“Of course not Dominus” the blonde girl replied. This was met with her master pinching a piece off of the croquette and holding it in front of her face.

She hesitated for a second before quickly eating the morsel. 

“It’s delicious isn’t it?” I asked the girl as she chewed.

Luka nodded. 

“Marius, if you give me a lift back to my hotel, I’ll give you both the recipe.” I said, “Maybe afterward we could go get that drink you offered me?”

I noticed Luka’s eyes narrow as Steven excused himself to go loiter near the Governor.

“Certainly.” Marius replied, as he made eye contact with a puppy eyed Luka.

“Why don’t we bring her along?” I said. “I’m not sure how safe the streets are here, but I’m sure you don’t want her to take her chances either.”

“That would be a good idea.” Marius said as he pointedly looked away from Luka and her plaintive eyes.

“Great. Anyway I’m at the Augusta.” I said. “That's not that far is it?”

“No, not really.”

“Thank you.”

Our conversation in the car was light, pleasant, and surprisingly informative. It also didn’t stop for the entirety of the ride. Outside of his military career, Marius enjoyed shooting sports and had three siblings. He also couldn’t believe that I was emancipated only a few years ago, and that I could remember all of my nieces’ favorite foods off the top of my head, not that it was that hard since there are only five of them including Kat. Also, we bagged on the vile little deep-fried anchovy and crab-stuffed veal roulades they had been serving. Luka apparently snuck one and then immediately spat it out, the poor woman.

Of course, when we arrived we headed up to the suite immediately with Luka in tow. In retrospect, sharing a suite with Constance and her fiancé was a bit of a mistake, but up to this point I had no idea how bad it could be.

I entered the living room, with Marius only slightly behind me to see Jimmy serving tea to Constance, Rupert, Rebecca, and a blonde woman I didn’t recognize while Honesty taught an impromptu massage class to a pair of obviously servile women about her age, using a blonde man for the demonstration.

“Well,” Marius said, before anyone else managed to speak. “Talk about a small world.”


	5. Part V - Romanumeternal

"See" she said. "Don't you feel much better?" 

Quintus nodded, enthusiastically. 

"Yes, weirdly. Gods only know why, but my left arm definitely doesn't feel as stiff." 

"I'd hope not" replied the brunette. "Honesty has been massaging me for years, so I'd hope she knows what she's doing by now."   
She leaned back on the couch, a slight grin of mischief on her face, and adjusted her dress slightly, displaying a touch more cleavage. Unseen by either of them, both Honesty and Olia rolled their eyes. 

"Well, very generous of you to let me benefit from her talents" remarked Quintus, graciously enough. He produced a denarius, grinning.   
"Is a tip customary in Columbia?" 

Rebecca shook her head. "Oh, no! You're a friend, Quintus - I may call you Quintus, I hope. I know you Romans can think us Colombians are a bit...forward." 

In fact, part of Quintus did think that, but he shook his head. "No, by all means...Rebecca. We're Romans, not Volkish." He took another sip of wine, looking at Rebecca thoughtfully. 

She was, he judged, attractive, although the idea that Olia was standing right beside him somewhat dampened his ardor, as did the fact he knew she engaged to the heir to a powerful Columbic political dynasty whose opponents had a habit of winding up in ditches, and not all in one piece at that. Still, he reckoned, there was no harm in enjoying the company of a cheerful, good looking girl, was there? 

"Thankfully" said Rebecca. She grinned. "With your blonde hair, though..." 

"I've never heard that joke before" murmured Quintus, and then grinned. "Or maybe I'm just a very deep cover agent." 

"You are doing a very good impression of someone who isn't an ultra-religious maniac, then" Rebecca said. "You'll probably be burnt alive when you return to the Reich." 

Quintus smirked at the suggestion. "If I start ranting about the seas turning to blood, the Fimbulvetr, a gigantic wolf and smashing the skulls of the lesser races with a hammer, start to worry." Rebecca snickered at that, and then indicated the gleaming lights of the Eternal City outside her window. 

"So Quintus, where else in Rome should we visit?" 

Quintus frowned. "You've seen the Senatorial Palace, the Gardens of Victory, the Triumphal Way, the Forum?" he asked, receiving a nod to each one. "Good. Hmm. Well, depends what you're into. The old Imperial Palace is a pretty good art museum, if that's your thing. There's the Janiculum, of course, if you want to take in a show or something one night, or a meal. Bit...err...edgy sometimes." 

Rebecca almost pricked up her ears. 

"Edgy? How?" 

Quintus shrugged. "Well, some of the places there...put it like this, one is meant to feel up the performers. Strip clubs, brothels, that sort of thing. I've never been" he added hurriedly. "But every so often some Senator is caught stark naked in a building there. Nice selection of bars and restaurants and theatres, though. Hmm, where else? There's the Vaticanus, if you fancy something more cerebral. That's where the Imperial Symposia is - don't ask my why its still called Imperial, but anyway - and the Museums. The Natura, the Historica, the Bellum...that ones interesting actually. They've got the Fury of Camillus on display outside" he added enthusiastically. 

"I know the one" said Rebecca, a low warning note entering her voice, which Quintus utterly missed. 

"Yep, the same one that dropped the bomb on the Hebrew traitor-fanatics of Jerusalem. They used to have it atop a plinth; made from the shattered stones and metal from their idiotic Temple, but people got worried it was a health hazard, what with all that radiation. I remember clambering over it as a child..." 

A slightly pettish look came into Rebecca's eyes, and she leaned forward, a cold look on her face. 

"You do realize those 'traitor-fanatics' were-" 

There was a crash, a hissed curse, and both jerked their heads around, to see Honesty. 

"Oh, sir - Mistress - I am sorry!" she said, getting to her knees. "Sorry, I knocked that fruit bowl off the table."


	6. Chapter 6

“You know, climbing where you weren’t supposed to is probably what made you ill.” Marius said chuckling. “Either from the rust or the radiation.”

Quintus just shot his brother a dirty look as most of the room stood on edge.

Thankfully Constance was the next person to speak. “Hey,” She said, as she looked at a seething Rebecca and a bored Anne. “Did Mama Kelly send you that picture she took of the kids?”

“I had my phone on silent. Let me look.” Rebecca said while pulling out her phone, as most of the tension in the room deflated. “Oh god that’s adorable. They must’ve had fun today. Poor Ruby though.”

“Why do they always make Ruby play with the kids?” Anne huffed as she looked at her phone, “She should be focusing on her studies instead of having to watch all four of them. And they tore her dress again. I just bought her that one before we left.”

“You have kids?” Julia said as she gave a surprised look from one of the other couches. 

“None of my own yet, but Jimmy and my sister had one and there’s Kat, who is kind of adopted. She’s still a slave, but Rupert got her and her mother from a breeder when she was like a week old, so she’s pretty much his. They’re three and four respectively.” Constance said before gesturing at the Roman contingent. “Do any of you have any?”

Rebecca smirked as Quintus choked, Olia sighed and Marlia froze up. 

Marius was the first to respond. “Nothing legitimate for me, but other than that I’m not sure.”

“Not yet.” Julia said. “Although after I get married I’ll certainly have a few. It’d give Marlia something to do aside from laze around all day.” Constance just made a note of Marlia’s thousand yard stare and frozen expression. 

“Don’t torture the poor girl.” Quintus said to his little sister, “One of you is probably all she can handle. She’d go spare chasing after your kids like Greta did you.”

Marius and Olia tried to suppress a laugh, but only Olia really succeed. 

“What about you Quintus?” Constance said. 

“I don’t have any.” He replied.

“Olia was literally hanging off your arm earlier and you two don’t have kids?” Constance said. “Marie was about that devoted and Steven knocked her up before her first Christmas with us.”

“Because she’d start crying if I used a condom with her and she was cheating on her birth control.” Steven replied angrily from the kitchen. “Of course it didn’t help me any that my mother is her gynecologist.”

“...and you were okay with this?” Julia said as she looked at Rebecca. 

“I like Marie, and I was already planning on having whoever I ended up with father some of Honesty’s kids as well, so I didn’t really mind. Besides, they’re adorable.” Rebecca with a shrug said before turning to Honesty. “Do you still have pictures of them from Easter?”

“Yes Mistress.” Honesty said as she pulled out her phone, and began fiddling with it. Finding the right photo, she then offered it to Julia. “If it would please you ma’am.”

Julia wordlessly accepted the phone before looking at the screen. “They certainly are cute.” Julia said. “Did you adopt them?”

“We’re still talking it over. Constance has dibs on them, and emancipating children is a bit more expensive and complex back home than it is here.” Rebecca replied turning towards Olia, as Julia handed the phone back to Honesty. “You’re lucky in that regard. My parents would’ve killed for the ability to just pick up a newborn and declare it free, and it would have made freeing Honesty’s children that much easier as well.”

“Why?” Quintus asked, carefully dodging the looks he was getting from Olia.

“Because I love her as much as I can love someone.” Rebecca replied without any hesitation. “It was something I decided to do long before I met Steven. While I can’t easily free her, and I can’t imagine life without her, I won’t condemn her children to something I managed to escape.”

“That’s certainly a romantic take on things.” Julia said, trying to ignore the looks Olia was giving to her brother.

“Also tachlis, bulvan she may be, she’s too smart for her kids to be scrubbing floors.”

“Bulvan, mistress?” Honesty said, as the rest of the room tried to parse out what Rebecca had just said.

“I remember when you used the twins in their car seats as Kettlebells.” Rebecca said.

“Ah. Fair enough mistress.” Honesty replied before turning to Olia and Marlia. “You two should consider it if you end up taking care of children. It’s very important to get what exercise and selfcare you can in, especially for your charges.” 

“That is heavy for us mere mortals Honesty.” Anne said. “Jimmy can’t even do that.”

“It was only like fifty pounds.” Honesty countered, not caring if she spoke out of turn. “It’s not like I’m bench pressing my mistress.”

“Like I said, She’s a bulvan if there ever was one.” Rebecca said smugly. “Which is part of why I love her.”

“Just how involved are you with the children in your households?” Julia asked, looking more than a little scandalized. “You talk about them like their your own children.”

“Very.” Constance said. “Both Kat and Perdita are extremely important to me, although Perdita is probably more important and I’ve been more involved with her because of her mother’s disability. I still don’t spoil them rotten like Rebecca or Anne do though.”

Rebecca laughed while Anne huffed. “I don’t spoil the kids.” Anne said. “They only get healthy snacks on my watch, instead of whatever the hell mom feeds them.”

“You bought Ruby a body pillow and a tablet for her seventh birthday.” Rebecca said. “Even Patience doesn’t do that shit with her daughter.”

“A body pillow?” Quintus asked with a raised eyebrow.

“She has night terrors. The doctor said it would help her get a decent night’s sleep. Speaking of that, it’s getting kinda late. I should get some sleep, since I’ve got a long day tomorrow.” Anne replied before a yawn. “You coming Marius?”


End file.
